Chronicle: Papi Tino's Gets Pricey As Chen Z Pleases

This week, the Austin Chronicle reviews Papi Tino's on the East Side and the new Chen Z Hot Pot + Noodle Bar on Anderson Lane.

Papi Tino's is a pretty swell place to spend a bunch of money, declares Rachel Feit. Prices are high ("Papi Tino's is not really selling affordable meals; it's selling atmosphere") but the space is charming ("the house has a stripped-down, candlelit ambience that makes you feel like you've stepped into another century"). She's not impressed with the value-for-quality in the $9 guacamole or $13 ceviche appetizers, but finds the "short roster of cantina-style dishes" to be "well-executed" if, again, "damned pricey."

Pretty much the only thing Mick Vann doesn't like at the "sophisticated and comfortable" Chen Z Hot Pot + Noodle Bar are the "gorgeous iron pots" for soy sauce, which are "impossible to pour from." He praises everything from the "efficient and friendly" service to the "freshness and quality of the ingredients" to the "most complex and delicious" tomato hot pot. His take: "We love the new Chen Z experience, and will definitely return often."

· All Week In Reviews Coverage on Eater Austin [-EATX-]
· Review: Chen Z Hot Pot & Noodle Bar [Austin Chronicle]
· Review: Papi Tino's [Austin Chronicle]

Chen Z. [Photo: Manoj I/Yelp]